1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to footwear and is directed, e.g., to a shoe having a heel and a thong-type construction that utilizes a layered sole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thong-type sandals have been available for a long time. Basically, such sandals typically are manufactured by: (i) cutting several layers from one or more different types of sheet material, each layer having plural matching holes; (ii) bonding such layers together; and then (iii) inserting the ends of an thong upper (usually made of plastic) through such holes in order to lock the upper into place. Because the sole of such a sandal is formed by bonding pieces of sheet material together, the sole usually is primarily flat.
Recently, at least one shoe has been provided that has an upper which resembles the upper for such thong-type sandals, but that also has a heel. In this shoe, the main portion of the sole is formed from one type of material and the bottom of this main portion is inlaid with a harder unitary piece that includes the heel. This harder unitary piece, as well as providing the heel, also provides additional support for the shoe.
However, such a shoe has certain inherent disadvantages. For example, the harder unitary piece typically must be injection molded, necessitating the creation of the appropriate molds. In addition, because the main portion of the sole both provides the surface for accommodating the wearer's foot and also provides the overall shape of the sole, it often will be difficult to provide an acceptable level of comfort.